Device for transmitting power



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

A. VON BABO. DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING POWER.

Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

INVE/VTOH J 'f/(HI EII BaZo Arrow Er WITNESSES:

N PETERS. Plwlo-Lflhognpber. Washington. ILQ

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. A. VON BABO. DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING POWER.

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ATTORNEY N. PETERS. mmmh n w, wumn lm n.c.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR VON BABO, OF SEATTLE, TVASHINGTON.

DEVICE FOR TRANSMITTING POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,386, dated January14, 1890; Application filed August 2, 1889. Serial No. 319,575. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR VON BABo, a subject of William 11., Emperorof Germany, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and Territory ofNVashington, have invented a new and Improved Device for TransmittingPower, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable device wherebyreversible motions for a wheeled vehicle may be obtained from acontinuous-running chain or cable 5 and it is more especially adaptedfor use in connection with cable traction railways where there is butone cable operating in a street.

The purport of my invention is to utilize a single cable line so as torun the cars in opposite directions upon the same track by simplyoperating the reversible device, which in this case effectually operatesas a means for reversing the moving direction of the car.

It has also for its object to so construct the said reversing 'device asto enable the same to be quickly turned into a simple and efiectivegripping device when it is desired'to run the car in the same directionwith the movable cable.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which willhereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification, and beparticularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in Whichcar-body with my improvementsapplied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the conduit shown insection. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3 3,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4: 4, Fig. 2; andFig. 5 is a detail view hereinafter referred to.

In the accompanyingdrawings, A indicates a portion of the car-bodyprovided with journal-bearings a a, in which are journaled thetruck-axles B and G, provided with the truckwheels I) and c, as shown.One of these axles O, which I will term the power axles, has formedcentrally thereon hubs or collars E F, keyed or otherwise fixedlysecured thereto, and between which is loosely journaled the cable orpower wheel D.

-e denotes a series of aligning apertures formed in the hubs E F, and fa seriesof transverse apertures formed in the body of the wheel D, whichare adapted to register with the apertures'@ e in the hubs, throughwhich and the apertures in the wheel a series of detachable bolts arepassed, and by means of which the wheel D is fixedly secured to turnwith the power-shaft C.

In practice I prefer to construct the powerwheel D of twice the diameterof the carwheels G and form the same with a peripheral groove d, adaptedto receive the cable.

The lower portion of the wheel D is passed down through the slot g ofthe conduit G and is adapted to be engaged with the cable in a mannerpresently described.

H denotes a metallic U-shaped frame, the

lower portion of which is disposed within the conduit, while thevertical arms h h extend up through the conduit-slot, one at each sideof the power wheel, and have their upper screw-threaded endsh h fittingin apertured bearing-boxes I I, mounted on the car-frame, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. I

J J denote chain-wheels provided with screw-threaded hubsj j, throughwhich the upper ends h of the arms h are-passed, said wheels beingconnected by a chain K, as' shown One of said wheels J is provided witha suitable crank-handle J by means ofwhich the said wheels J J may beconven- 5 iently operated.

The lower end of the U-shaped frame is bent laterally, as shown at H,and upon the front face of said end is journaled two sheaves L L,arranged one to each side of the power- 9 It will be seen that bysecuring the power I or cable wheel to the power-shaft to turn with it,by turning the chain-wheels J the U- shaped frame will rise and bringthe-cable into frictional contact with the power-wheel are adjusted asand cause it to revolve in a direction opposite the moving direction ofthe cable, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 3.

hen it is desired to adjust the device to operate as a gripper, thebolts are removed from the hubs E and F and the wheel D thereby releasedfrom turning with the shaft. Now by adjusting the U-shaped frame up andbringing the cable into tight frictional contact with the power-wheelthe same will bind against the axle O and be thereby held from revolvingon said axle and forming a grip between the car and cable and causingthe car to be moved in the same direction with the cable, the axle 0,however, turning in the wheel D. As before stated, the diameter of thepower-wheelD is twice the diameter of the car-wheels C C. By thisconstruction I am enabled to produce exactly thesame speed in both carsgoing back and forth.

That the cars should move in opposite directions at the same speed isvery essential, so as to cause the same to reach sidings or switchesarranged in connection with the main track at predetermined intervalsand thereby permitting said cars to pass each other.

In practice I prefer to construct the U- shaped frame of one piece ofsteel.

From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the drawings,the advantages of my improvement will readily appear. It will beobserved that by arranging the powerwheel so as to project into theconduit to engage the cable I transmit the power to the truck-shaftswithout the necessity of intermediate gearing devices.

My improved device is exceedingly simple in construction, cheap as tocost, and eifective in its desired operation.

Instead of employing the hubs and pin-connection between power shaft andpowerwheel, I might employ asliding-clutch mechanism, as shown in Fig.5, operated by a lever extended up to the car-body, which can beoperated by the gripman at will.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the axle C, jouri naled to the car-body andprovided with truck-wheels c c at its outer ends, a power wheel mounted.on said axle to turn therewith, said wheel provided with a peripheralgroove, the lower portion of said wheel adapted to project Within theconduit and engage the cable, of a cable-lifter secured to the car-bodyand projected down within the conduit to each side of the power-wheel,and cable-supporting wheels journaled on the lower end of saidlifting-frame, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with one of the truckaxles provided with thecar-wheels c c, and a power-wheel mounted on said axle to turntherewith, having a diameter twice the diameter of the car-wheel, saidwheel having a direct engagement with the cable, of a cableliftingdevice operated from the car-body, adapted to raise the cable intofrictional contact with said power-wheel, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. The combination, with one of the caraxles, of a power-wheel looselymounted thereon, the lower portion of said wheel projected below theconduit-slot, a cable-lifter operated from the carbody and projected inthe conduit to each side of said power-wheel, and cable-supportingsheaves journaled to said lifter, said lifting-frame adapted to bringthe cable in tight frictional contact with said power-wheel,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The cable-lifter consisting of a U-shaped frame, cable-supportingsheaves journaledin the lower end thereof, the vertical arms thereofprovided with screw-threaded ends vertically adjustable in aperturedbearings secured to the car-body, screw-threaded chainwheel secured uponthe said screw-threaded ends of the vertical arms, a chain connectingsaid wheels and means for turning said chainwheels, in combination withthe power-wheel mounted to rotate on one of the car-axles, said wheelsdisposed centrally between said vertical arms of the cable-lifter, andprovided with a peripheral groove adapted to engage the cable when saidcable is brought into contact by the lifting device, substantially asand for the purpose described.

ARTHUR VON BAHO.

Witnesses:

F. E. WARE, M. A. PHILLIPs.

